


Thieves and War

by Bananly



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Ashe is hardly in this fanfic it's mostly just Nina's ideas about thievery and war, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:33:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22414036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bananly/pseuds/Bananly
Summary: Nina goes to a new land and starts up her thievery again in a new war torn nation.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	Thieves and War

**Author's Note:**

> This Nina is absolutely the daughter of the Leo Trio and I do reference it throughout including in the first few sentences.

The decision Nina made to take a boat to the east was a choice that two of her fathers weren’t pleased with.

Abandoning Nohr as its princess and leaving it to her two siblings and cousins, to her, didn’t seem like that great a sin, and fortunately Papa Odin supported it, helping her sneak on the next exploration ship out. It was only after landing, with no way to write home, that she felt truly alone; her parents with no idea she was now in an active war zone, and she, no way of knowing what was going on at home. The war here seemed vicious and all-encompassing, touching the lives of everyone, each person she met seeming to have a story to tell. She knew war -- though one she hadn’t meant to fight in, had only been in because of her parent’s need to keep an eye on her -- she’d already fought once before, and could prove an asset to these people. As it now stood, the thought of joining another war, to watch people die by her hand in grotesque numbers… she’d rather not. 

In spite of her beliefs on war and unwillingness to offer aid, Nina had behaved herself well in this new country. She traveled from town to town, trying to ignore every odd look thrown her way, no doubt for her strikingly foreign appearance. She had witnessed first hand the people and their suffering, exploited by the nobles meant to care for them, keep them safe; no longer could she find it in herself to stand still.

Now she was back into territory more to her pace: stealing from the greedy.

Taking stock of the information she gleaned from her time here, Nina looked over her notebook and sighed to herself.

She’d ended up in a land called Faerghus, though the continent itself was named Fódlan. She had also learned There were two other nations bordering Faerghus, but knowing the difficulty that would come from crossing borders during wartime, she’d decided to keep her efforts to just one. More recently, she’d been stealing from the smaller nobles in the kingdom, only upon heading further north she had found conditions only somewhat better than Nohr’s capital: cold, barren lands, and people undertaking whatever jobs they could to scrape up money for taxes.

The only difference Nina could discern, was instead of a corrupt and careless king, it was simply the product of war time politics. No one had time to sweat the small stuff that nobles would get away with -- not when everyone was at the borders, fighting for their lives. Especially the nobles with power and troops to spare -- and this made the Margrave Gautier her biggest target since arriving to this land, and she had to admit it made her nervous. 

But then it went fine. So she did it again.

And then again.

And now, the Margrave she had been robbing had finally decided enough was enough and pulled some strings, because a military unit had arrived. The idea of a noble asking a military force to play police in the middle of war was outlandish, yet here she sits again. Nina could only force herself to quell the sickeningly familiar feeling of misconduct, choosing to envelope herself in utter disgust instead at the fragrant abuse of power. She’d take one more night before heading out; there were still villagers who could use some extra coin to keep warm and eat in this freezing weather.

This was not the first time Nina had witnessed a noble call the army on her for her thievery. Though, this time… she knew it’d go more smoothly. She knew general army protocol now and most importantly: her father was not apart of this army. He’s at home, probably trying to show Ophelia how to use a shining bow still. No one to force her to join an army, much less anyone who will have been a master thief with experience breaking into mansions.

Content in the knowledge that Niles wouldn’t be present, but wary of how much intel the army is bound to gather from the previous break-ins, she decides to lay low when they first arrive and keep to herself. It’s on the fourth night of their stay that she makes her move.

Wrapping hair hair up into loops to prevent her every present braids from flying loose and causing unwanted problems, Nina set about checking herself over before climbing up a different window than she’d used the last few times. No doubt that someone would’ve picked up on that if they had a brain worth much. This window is closer to her prize anyway- a painting that she had spotted and could instantly tell would sell a lot, especially if she could get one of the traders from the Alliance to buy it. 

Sliding through the window and into the proper room takes just moments and she shuts the door. A risk, but worth it- if anyone passes by in the hall they’re likely to keep on walking instead of peeking in. Just as she manages to get the painting off the wall she hears a creak in a floor board that sounds as if it’s just outside in the hallway. Unable to see past the painting and towards the door, she moves slowly and curses her position mentally as she places the painting on the floor, a back up plan already in motion. Just as the painting touches the carpeted floor she hears the door open, and a man telling her to halt.

Turning towards the door with both her hands reaching for daggers, she notices the soldiers bow before she notices him. It’s not a short bow so he’ll have trouble aiming in here more than likely. He still seems to make a grab for it anyway but she’s already running at him. Holding a dagger in front of her she forces him to dodge out of the way, leaving her to barrel through the door he had entered. Catching herself before she slammed into the hallway’s wall, she bolted for her exit. 

Nina spews curses as she escapes into the night with nothing in her hands, not for the lack of a prize but for the fact the soldier absolutely saw her face. She knew she’d have to get out of town within the week.

==

The urgency to get out of town may have been high, but the girl knew better than to escape the next day. The guards would be on high alert for anyone acting suspicious and more than likely the soldier who had seen her would be patrolling the marketplace or staying by the gates to the city. So despite the panic building in her chest every time she tries to recall the soldiers face and couldn’t, Nina stays. 

On day three of waiting for her opportunity, she leaves her hideout in hopes of distracting herself. If Gautier territory is now full of soldiers, she might as well enjoy it. Soldiers mean lots of potential romances, so she sticks to the shadows until she comes across two promising men.

Already her shoulders were relaxing as she opened up her notebook and started writing everything down. From the short man’s harsh tone to the ease the tall one brushed him off with. Jotting down possibilities for what they could be talking about, and how their body language seemed to convey they were closer than the short ones tone suggested. Maybe childhood friends? Simply soldiers who had fought many battles together, seen too much? She’d certainly seen many romances blossom on the battlefield. Or perhaps--

She only has a split second to notice a man far too close for comfort before he grabs her arm and starts to pull her away from her hiding spot. His grip is stronger than she would’ve guessed for someone his size, which meant he might be an arche… oh no. For someone to randomly grab at her, while in a soldiers uniform, and have the possibility of being an archer? This was absolutely the guy from the other night. Oh No.

It seemed like he wanted a private moment with her. When he stops pulling at her arm she finds herself stumbling to a stop in a shaded corner, away from the noise of the market and a hiding spot only someone familiar with how to properly hide would know. Nina’s gaze met his, and she hopes her fear wasn’t shining through. She was in deep shit now and she saw the glint of a dagger in his hand. Not only was this soldier probably recognizing her from the other night, but he probably wasn’t too happy about her writing about his comrades either. She wonders if he’d feel better if he knew she was writing something not as innocent as simple spy notes. Not that the girl was going to test that thought.

“So are you a thief or are you a spy?”

Not an unexpected question, but it still makes her pause. Her brain is overthinking all her mistakes till now and what her fathers are going to put on her gravestone when- if- they find out. She blinks at him and feels her nerves bundling up on her tongue before she can stop them.

“I’m a thief whos doing more with her life than being a mindless soldier. At least I’m helping people.”

Feeling the grip on her wrist tighten, she winces and yelps before being relieved. Dumb men, always using violence when they’re startled. He seemed to actually be thinking over her words, which was interesting. This was usually the point the soldier told her to shut up and just took her in, no questions asked. This time she didn’t have much back up to get her out of a jail cell, the Margrave might’ve been too big of a target to take on alone. She’s so caught up in her own rising panic she doesn’t notice his face change, so she is left to jerk and hold back a screech when he speaks.

“Why would taking from other people help others, when I’m trying to save people from… from the Empire?” 

Distracted by a question of his own, Nina was finally able to twist her wrist out of his grip. Rubbing at where he touched her, she frowns and rolls her eyes. Soldier’s were always like this… they couldn’t see anything beyond the tip of their lance, or well, bow in this case.

“Why would that change or help people’s lives? Fighting alongside nobles who are actively making people’s lives worse, and then congratulating them for their help when the wars over… not caring about the people actually living. All a soldier’s good for is killing, and the only thing a soldier’s meant to kill is humans. Where’s glory in that?”

She felt like her point wasn’t going to get across and so while he seemed to mull over her words, which was a surprise in itself with how much hate she’d melted into her language, she glanced around the spot for the easiest place to escape. Unfortunately there were a good amount of soldiers in the area right now so if she were to run for it he could simply yell for back up. Back up that could end up in front of her or to the sides… She might have to knock this guy out and book it out of town if it comes down to it. Luckily this guy seemed to mostly want to talk it out, but with her penchant for twisting her tongue in front of men, she had no idea where this may end.

“If killing other people is what it takes for the people of Faerghus to live safely… what’s the problem in that?”

Nina’s braids hit the wall behind her with a dull thud as she whipped her head back to the silver haired soldier, a scowl growing on her face again.

“What’s it mean to live safely? To live under the rule of a noble who takes too much and gives too little? To starve on the streets? A lot of people are living lives you’ve never dreamed of. Think beyond your damned war and knightly glory for more than a minute.”

The soldier bit his tongue and then twisted his face as if it had tasted rotten. This was so above his pay-grade, he’d probably give up in a moment. Often Nina wonders if perhaps people were only meant to care about themselves and their loved ones. This guy is probably only fighting for his family or something, like every other soldier. Whatever, she doesn’t live to preach to people, she’d rather take action when she can. She’s very aware that when it comes to these kinds of matters, with these kinds of people, words are not her forte. 

“Is that why you stole from the Margrave? Because you needed it? But we’ve gotten reports of a lot of things stolen… Enough to feed a small village I imagine.”

Picking up an old nervous habit, Nina pulled one of her blonde braids over her shoulders and started running her hands over the different bumps and ridges. Hair started to fall out of place as she did, and the length of this conversation would decide just how disorderly it’d get. The soldier didn’t seem to be ready to grab her again, though his dagger shines at her from his hand. 

“It’s not for me. The Margrave’s been taking extra taxes. Taxes people can’t afford, just to pay for the war effort. Not all of the money is going towards the war either. I’ve looked into his books, and he’s still portioning a large sum out to himself.” Nina’s eyes flickered around the space again, confirming it was too small to pull out a bow and aim anything worth a shot. 

This soldier seemed to be taking this conversation more seriously than she ever expected. Maybe she’d actually gotten lucky and gotten some easy sap who loved a good story, or maybe one of those kids who gets drafted into the army because they don’t have another choice. Maybe he’d still turn her in and then blame the townsfolk for her crimes. They had never asked her to come help, she’d decided it on her own and they’d simply been grateful for the help. She’d rather fall than see them pay. 

“Well… I can’t say I approve of either side. Stealing is never right,” What, is she talking to her fathers again? “But… it’s better than seeing someone die in front of you. We’re supposed to fight so people don’t have to see unnecessary death.” That’s something she never imagined her father agreeing, at least out loud.

She noted the dagger was lax in his hand, and his head seemed to be weighed down between thoughts of pity and moral conundrums. This seemed like the most opportune moment to escape. 

“Great! Now that we’re on the same page I’m just going to…” She quickly spun on her feet and bolted out of the small hide away. He shouted after her but didn’t seem to call for any fellow soldiers to follow. Maybe she’d given him enough to chew on that he’d leave her be. 

Not that she’d stay around much longer. Tomorrow, she’d pack up and probably head further southwest. While the Margrave had been greedy against his people’s best interests, it wasn’t safe with soldiers here. Besides, the smaller the noble the more they seemed to crave the rush of power that over taxing seemed to give. For tonight though, she’d find a better hiding spot and calm herself down with the thrill of fiction and forbidden romance.

==

Fortunately for Nina, she found some men to daydream about before retiring for the night. Unfortunately for Nina, she had apparently lit a spark in the soldier she had talked to. When she had finished packing the next day she’d assume she’d been fine for going through the front exit of the town. Only one person had seen her, she had not caused any trouble and had paid for all the goods she used in the town. Yet when she stood at the gate she saw him loitering around as if the buildings nearest there were interesting. 

He seemed to have a sharp eye because he spotted her fairly quickly, which made sense considering he found her yesterday where she had been certain she’d been well hidden. She quickly thought over their conversation yesterday and she definitely had not given any clue of leaving so soon. Then again… perhaps she’d been to quick on her feet and made herself predictable. Cursing to herself she moved towards the buildings shadows, but maintained a good enough distance that if he did see her, she would not get pinned to a wall.

His eyes found her easily, but once again he didn’t call for anyone to come after her. Instead he follows her until they reach a place where no one is going to bother them. Compiling all the info she’s gathered about this man, he seemed to have a lot more street smarts than she initially had given him. 

“What? Here to arrest me? Yesterday’s not going to be a repeat.”

“No… I wanted to thank you actually. For your crimes. As weird as it sounds, I don’t think anyone would’ve noticed the Margrave’s mismanagement if it wasn’t for them.” The soldier scratched the back of his head, seemingly conflicted over what he was saying. “We… I… The Margrave’s son took a peek at his records, and at his Highnesses request thing’s have been adjusted to be fair to the townsfolk.” 

Folding her arms over her chest and squeezing her arms close to he, Nina momentarily chewed the inside of her cheek. “This isn’t just a special case you know. What’re you going to do next? Pause the war to go to every lord and noble and check their records? Or just pat yourself on the back that you saved a few hundred people out of the thousands in this country.” 

The soldier blinks, and then smiles at her. A reaction she’d definitely not been expecting. “You know, most people who force me to ask hard questions at least give me a name.”

Taking a second to weigh the risk of which last name to give him, she clicked her tongue. Nohr was too far west of here for it to matter.

“Nina deNohr. You got one too?”

“Ashe Ubert! It’s been surprisingly nice to meet you Nina. I’d like…well, maybe you can work for his Highness and report back about nobles who are misusing their power?” 

Ugh, this all feels so familiar. “No, I don’t think so. I think you guys need to sort that out yourselves. Your own government needs to solve its problems at the root, not hire an outsider. I’m here to right the wrongs I see in the way I see fit.” 

He eyes widened and she forced herself not to think about what he was thinking. She expected to get a scolding for being idealistic but instead of scolding her, he just shakes his head. 

“If you keep getting into trouble, I might run into you again. But next time I will probably have to put you under arrest.” 

That sounded like the end of a conversation to her. She saluted him and used the escape route she’d planned when she had picked this spot for them to stop at. He had said next time but she was not going to let that slide. No next times. So she was going to put this place behind her and pretend that wasn’t the first moderately normal conversation she’d had with a guy in awhile. She was so riled up in her self righteous cause that she’d forgotten to worry over being seen through.


End file.
